Holliston whittles $500K from deficit

Friday

HOLLISTON - While the School Committee whittled half a million dollars off an anticipated $2.2 million budget gap last night without inflicting much pain, deeper education cuts are still expected.

While the School Committee whittled half a million dollars off an anticipated $2.2 million budget gap last night without inflicting much pain, deeper education cuts are still expected.

"That's the least debatable and least controversial recommendation you'll probably be hearing over the next couple of months," Superintendent Bradford Jackson said after a suggestion by the Budget Subcommittee to make the district's technology director part time instead of full time and to tap "revolving fund" savings accounts for areas like athletics and cafeterias.

In turn, he presented one potential scenario for making further cuts, which he said could prove to be a "sneak preview" for later, more official plans.

In his example, the district would cut bus service for students in grades seven to 12 and for younger students living less than two miles from school, since their transportation is not required by the state. That would save $285,000.

Under Jackson's scenario, the district would then cut six and a half front office positions, 10 teacher aids and $125,000 from the budgets for athletics, books and other supplies. Finally, 111/2 teaching jobs would be slashed.

Referring to closing the $1.7 million gap, Jackson said, "One does not do that without inflicting pain."

The gap is the difference between what school officials say is needed to maintain current services during the coming fiscal year and the Finance Committee's $26.2 million funding recommendation, a $400,000 drop from this year's budget. The Finance Committee chose that number because of limited new revenue, rising costs for expenses like energy and health insurance, and a need to set aside $400,000 for long-deferred capital items.

The school district, meanwhile, is facing higher payments for busing, energy, custodians, salaries and out-of-district special education tuitions.

During his presentation, Jackson said 36 percent of his budget is untouchable because of state mandates or common sense, like the need to keep buildings open and clean them. Previously, he said residents would need to either pass a Proposition 21/2 override or accept staffing cuts.

In compiling its $500,000 trim, the Budget Subcommittee relied on recent information that the state would fully fund special education "circuit breaker" aid for the first time, providing a possible $200,000 boost.

Also, subcommittee member Thomas Jones said lower enrollments and retiring staff would allow the district to use one less teacher in its Montessori program and two less at the middle school. When combined with $125,000 from the savings accounts and the reduction of hours for the technology director, the moves shave the gap by $500,000, with more anticipated.

"This is a big issue," Jones said. "You're not going to chip away at it $10,000 at a time."

While neither the Finance Committee nor the School Committee's numbers are final - it now appears the state will provide an extra $400,000 in unanticipated Chapter 70 school aid for the district and town departments to share - a gap still seems likely.

Although other school districts have proposed fee increases for services like busing this budget season, Jackson said such a response goes against his philosophy.

"I strongly believe fees are not how you fund public schools," he said. "Taxes are how you fund public schools."

(Michael Morton can be reached at mmorton@cnc.com or 508-626-4338.)

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